2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is publishing revised draft guidance on how National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis and documentation should address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the impacts of climate change. Many projects and programs proposed by, or requiring the approval of, the Federal Government have the potential to emit or sequester GHG, and may be potentially affected by climate changes. It follows, under NEPA, that Federal decisionmakers and the public should be informed about the proposal's GHG emissions and climate change impacts. Such information can help a decisionmaker make an informed choice between alternative actions that will result in different levels of GHG emissions, or consider mitigation measures to reduce the impacts of climate change. This revised draft guidance supersedes the draft guidance CEQ issued on February 18, 2010, entitled ``Draft NEPA Guidance on Consideration of the Effects of Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions.'' \1\ The February 2010 draft guidance specifically did not apply to land and resource management activities. That distinction is no longer retained, and this revised draft guidance applies to all proposed Federal agency actions subject to NEPA.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on CMS' intention to collect information from the public. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension or reinstatement of an existing collection of information, and to allow a second opportunity for public comment on the notice. Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including any of the following subjects: (1) The necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden.

This notice announces the availability of EPA's draft human health and ecological risk assessments for the registration reviews of bentazon, daminozide, and d-limonene and opens a public comment period on these documents. Registration review is EPA's periodic review of pesticide registrations to ensure that each pesticide continues to satisfy the statutory standard for registration, that is, the pesticide can perform its intended function without unreasonable adverse effects on human health or the environment. As part of the registration review process for each case, the Agency has drafted a human health and ecological risk assessment for all uses of the previously listed pesticide chemicals. The ecological risk assessment includes or will include an assessment of risks to listed species, and the human health and ecological risk assessments includes or will include a determination of endocrine disrupter effects for the case. After reviewing comments received during the public comment period, EPA may issue revised risk assessments, explain any changes to the draft risk assessments, and respond to comments. The Agency also will request public input on any proposed risk mitigation measures before completing proposed registration review decisions for the previously listed pesticide chemicals. Through this program, EPA is ensuring that each pesticide's registration is based on current scientific and other knowledge, including its effects on human health and the environment.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Alpha Aviation Concept Limited Model R2160 airplanes. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as paint adherence defects inside the engine air intake box and cohesion defects inside the laminated ducting from the filter to the air intake box. We are issuing this AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The OCC, Board, FDIC, Commission, FHFA, and HUD (the agencies) are adopting a joint final rule (the rule, or the final rule) to implement the credit risk retention requirements of section 15G of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as added by section 941 of the Dodd- Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Act or Dodd- Frank Act). Section 15G generally requires the securitizer of asset- backed securities to retain not less than 5 percent of the credit risk of the assets collateralizing the asset-backed securities. Section 15G includes a variety of exemptions from these requirements, including an exemption for asset-backed securities that are collateralized exclusively by residential mortgages that qualify as ``qualified residential mortgages,'' as such term is defined by the agencies by rule.

This regulation amends the existing temporary tolerance exemption for Tobacco mild green mosaic tobamovirus by establishing a permanent exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of Tobacco mild green mosaic tobamovirus strain U2 in or on all commodities of crop groups 17 and 18 when applied as a post-emergent herbicide and used in accordance with label directions and good agricultural practices. Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4) submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of Tobacco mild green mosaic tobamovirus strain U2 under FFDCA.

In accordance with relevant provisions of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is providing notice of its determination of the trade surplus in certain sugar and syrup goods and sugar-containing products of Chile, Morocco, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, Colombia, and Panama. As described below, the level of a country's trade surplus in these goods relates to the quantity of sugar and syrup goods and sugar-containing products for which the United States grants preferential tariff treatment under (i) the United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement (Chile FTA); (ii) the United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (Morocco FTA); (iii) the Dominican Republic-Central America- United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR); (iv) the United States- Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (Peru TPA); (v) the United States- Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (Colombia TPA), and (vi) the United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement (Panama TPA).

The Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain cut-to- length carbon-quality steel plate products (CTL plate) from the Republic of Korea (Korea). The period of review (POR) is February 1, 2013, through January 31, 2014. The Department preliminarily determines that the producers/exporters subject to this review made sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value or had no shipments of subject merchandise. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.

The Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity Education & Awareness Office, will submit the following Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

EPA received requests for an extension of the period for providing comments on the proposed rule entitled, ``Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Dental Category,'' published in the Federal Register on October 22, 2014. EPA is extending the comment period from December 22, 2014 to February 20, 2015.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Vale District Office announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Land-Use Plan Amendments (LUPAs) for the Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Project (Project) and by this notice is announcing the opening of the public comment period.

The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) Committees of the U.S. and Canadian governments will hold a workshop entitled ``Options for Consideration of Chronic Disease Endpoints for Dietary Reference Intakes.'' The objective of the workshop is to critically evaluate key scientific issues involved in using chronic disease endpoints for setting DRIs and, in this context, to provide information for future decisions as to whether and/or how chronic disease endpoints can be incorporated into the setting of DRI values. In preparation for this meeting, the DRI Committees are asking for public comment on the set of questions that the meeting panelists will discuss.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (``FDIC'') is adopting a final rule to rescind and remove regulations entitled ``Loans in Areas Having Flood Hazards'' and to amend regulations entitled ``Loans in Areas Having Flood Hazards.'' The final rule will integrate the flood insurance regulations for State nonmember banks and State savings associations in accordance with the requirements of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the ``Dodd- Frank Act''). The integration of the regulations was originally proposed as part of an interagency joint notice of proposed rulemaking issued in October 2013 pursuant to the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (the BW Act). The FDIC has decided to integrate the flood insurance regulations by means of an individual final rule.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the purpose of this notice is to announce that a Federal Advisory Committee, known as the ``Downloadable Security Technology Advisory Committee,'' is being established. This committee will report to the Commission about downloadable security for devices that access multichannel video programming services, as required by the STELA Reauthorization Act of 2014.

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested concerning: whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or ``we''), announce the availability of an application for an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) and a proposed Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) from the Town of Orleans (Town) for public review and comment. We received the permit application from the Town for incidental take of the threatened piping plover (Charadrius melodus) resulting from the Town's authorization and management of over-sand vehicle (OSV) activities over the next 3 years. Our preliminary determination is that the proposed HCP qualifies as low-effect under our final Handbook for Habitat Conservation Planning and Incidental Take Permitting Process. To make this determination, we used our Low-Effect HCP Screening Form/ Environmental Action Statement (EAS), the preliminary version of which is also available for review. We provide this notice to (1) seek public comments on the proposed HCP and application; (2) seek public comments on our preliminary determination that the HCP qualifies as low-effect and is therefore eligible for a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); and (3) advise other Federal and State agencies, affected Tribes, and the public of our intent to issue an ITP.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is seeking public comment on emergency preparedness (EP) frequently asked question (EPFAQ) No. 2014-002, EPFAQ No. 2014-003, and EPFAQ No. 2014-007. These EPFAQs will be used to provide clarification of guidance documents related to the development and maintenance of EP program elements. The NRC is publishing these preliminary results to inform the public and solicit comments.

This notice of determination provides the FRA Administrator's minimum annual random drug and alcohol testing rates for calendar year 2015. According to data from FRA's Management Information System, the rail industry's random drug testing positive rate has remained below 1.0 percent for the last two years. FRA's Administrator has therefore determined that the minimum annual random drug testing rate for the period January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015, will remain at 25 percent of covered railroad employees. In addition, because the industry-wide random alcohol testing violation rate has remained below 0.5 percent for the last two years, the Administrator has determined that the minimum random alcohol testing rate will remain at 10 percent of covered railroad employees for the period January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015. Railroads remain free, as always, to conduct random testing at higher rates.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of the Standing, Special Reef Fish and Special Mackerel Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC).

The Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

In compliance with section 3507(a)(1)(D) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Secretary (OS), Department of Health and Human Services, has submitted an Information Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The ICR is for a new collection. Comments submitted during the first public review of this ICR will be provided to OMB. OMB will accept further comments from the public on this ICR during the review and approval period.